Hold Fast; The End is Coming Soon:

I am a teacher currently, and I am finishing my fourth year of school.  There is something that I have learned when it comes to being in a school building in the last quarter, and that it is HARD.  It is so hard this time of year.   It is not easy to get the students to focus, or to quiet down.  The weather is getting nice, which means the last thing that people want to do is to stay in a room and study books. 

 We even have a term for this called, senioritis.  This is another term that really shows up for me as a teacher who does teach seniors in high school.  When a person is so close to getting out of high school, it can be very easy for them to want to just scrape by.  Why put in the extra work, if this is going to be the last few months that you will ever see this place?  The grades are pretty much decided, the colleges have given out acceptance letters if they are choosing to go to college, and the scholarships have been given out and accepted.  There is not a lot more that can be done at this time of year to do.  Yet there are still a few weeks left of learning.  There are still a few more weeks of knowledge to be gained, and we still have connections and life lessons to learn before the goodbyes are said. 

It has been a good show to me that I need to remember to see this year through to the end. Because I am so close to the end, it would feel much easier to just give in and put up the towel.  Not spend as much time lesson planning, hardly grade, not really help the students who are struggling to desire knowledge.  I will be honest that I can really feel that way this year in particular as I am leaving this profession at the end of the year.  It would be much easier to allow this to be their problem next year after I am gone.   

However, then I need to remember that we need to work hard and be diligent even when we are approaching the end, the end of a season, the end of the year, the end of a relationship.  We should have the same approach and love as we did in the beginning.  Sometimes journeys, jobs, relationships, can all be exciting in the beginning, but it is the middle and the end where the times get tough.  How can we still keep our character and our diligence and our God-fearing ness during those times?  

Jesus definitely did.  He really perseveres even at the end.  Can you imagine?  He knew that he was going to die.  He knew that the end of his life was coming.  He could have taken that time to enjoy himself.  He could have taken that time to fish or to hangout with his friends, but he decided he wanted to focus his energy on saving as many people as he could and then still be sent to the cross for the good of the Lord, His father.  He still knew that he had a role he needed to fulfill before he left this earth. He did it with gladness, even when it must have been difficult.    

This is also the challenge that God gives us for the end times.  He reminds us that at some point, Jesus is going to be coming back.  Jesus never planned on leaving his people here on earth forever.  Yes, we have the opportunity to go to heaven after we die, but there is also going to be a day when Jesus will come back and will bring all believers up to heaven.  He is going to get rid of Satan, once and for all.  He reminded us many times throughout the Bible to be ready because the end times would be coming.   The verse, Matthew 24:44 is just one example of the Bible bringing up ways we as Christ followers need to be prepared for the end times.  This says, “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”   

I do want to spend this time encouraging anyone who is like me and will be going through a change of season.  I want to encourage any senior that is reading this who may be struggling with the idea of branching out on their own, or seeking to find a path that isn’t just going to classes.  I hope that everyone who is choosing to move to a new town or join a new group of friends is excited about this grand adventure.  I pray that you can continue to grow as close to the Lord throughout the rest of the days of your life.   My challenge for you this week is to spend time in prayer for strength, diligence, and encouragement as you close a particular chapter.